Different Hearts, Same Song
by Skyler-Kaiba
Summary: In this story, the worlds of Yu Yu Hakusho and Cyborg 009 come together as the Blessed re-emerge and plan to make their own 'special' breed of cyborg-like beings. Kurama and Joe are the first to meet, and the rating is for later chapters, as creation of a new race can involve some very "adult" situations.
1. Chapter 1

Cyborg 009 and Yu Yu Hakusho Crossover: Different Hearts, Same Song

A/N: This story was inspired by the events in Cyborg 009 vs. Devilman, which was a pretty awesome thing to watch. Only 3 episodes long so far, but definitely worth checking out! And chronologically, in Yu Yu Hakusho canon, this takes place after the end of the series, as I want all the characters to be at their peak. In 009 canon, this takes place after the events in Call of Justice, which is also an awesome anime that I somehow missed last year, but caught back up with thanks to Netflix! Right now, there's only 1 story arc, but I REALLY hope they make more. I guess that seeing Cyborg 009 and Devilman being crossed over so seamlessly is what really made me go "okay, it can be done...but MUST be careful to keep everyone and everything on both sides true to what the franchise presents." I am attempting to do that here, but if anything's out of sorts, feel free to let me know in a review and I will fix it in subsequent chapters. Hoping to present this as a movie and/or series idea, but I'm not gonna hold my breath.

Chapter 1: I Wanna Dance with Somebody

One evening, in downtown Tokyo, a red-haired man and a dark-haired teenager walked side-by-side, conversing about their day and expressing excitement at the prospect of a new family member. It was Shuichi Minamino and his younger stepbrother, Kokoda. Their family was going to be adopting a baby girl from India, whose parents were too poor to keep and take care of her. Though she had been unnamed when they first adopted her, Shuichi's stepfather had decided to name her Helen, as he hoped that she would be the one to help the two boys connect with and better understand the fairer sex.

As the two started to get towards the outer parts of the city and the night wore on, Kokoda moved a little closer to Shuichi, feeling a little unnerved due to the lateness of the hour and the fact that the outer parts of the city were known to be a little strange. He asked, "Shuichi, I don't know how you deal with all of this so well. I know you and mother have gotten used to it, but...not sure if I ever will." Shuichi laughed and said, "Well, to be fair, a few demons do come here from time to time, but most of them are harmless. Just former fighters in the last demon world tournament looking for poor and sickly humans, that no one will miss, to prey upon."

Kokoda told him, "So they won't mess with us?" Shuichi shook his head, "No. They know who I really am and that I am _very_ protective of those I love. So you have nothing to worry about, Kokoda." They soon arrived home, but all wasn't quiet. Quite the contrary, they found Shiori and their stepfather knocked out on the floor. Gasping, both boys ran over and managed to wake up Shiori.

Shuichi asked her, "Mother, what has happened? Where is Helen?"

Shiori answered, her eyes full of tears and her voice shaky, "Some guys calling themselves the Blessed carried her off. They said she was far too special to grow up with a half-human scum like you."

Kokoda clenched a fist and bolted out the door, not even thinking, and wanting to help rescue his baby sister. Shuichi shouted, "Kokoda, wait! We don't even know where they took her yet!" Knowing he was too late, he cursed under his breath, then looked at Shiori and asked her, "Did you see where they took her?"

Shiori told him, "They headed south, toward Master Genkai's temple. Please, hurry and help her, Shuichi! I have a very bad feeling about those people…"

Meanwhile, Joe Shimamura, aka 009, had come to Tokyo as well, for Christmas. He always spent Christmas here, as it was all he had ever known before becoming a Cyborg. As he randomly ran in acceleration mode around the town, he detected a human teenager running through the city as well, his heart racing and seeming to be panicking. Since he knew that it was not normal for humans to be in panic for no reason, he decelerated and walked over to Kokoda. He asked the boy, "Is everything all right?"

The boy replied, looking ready to punch him, "No! Everything's not okay! My baby sister has been kidnapped by some guys calling themselves the Blessed!"

Knowing of the Blessed because of his previous encounters, Joe gasped and asked, "Are you certain of this?"

Kokoda nodded his head, "It's what my mom told me, and she NEVER lies! Now get out of my way!" He punched Joe in the gut, but it didn't seem to phase him and he gasped, startled that the man in front of him wasn't even flinching. "What the-? Why aren't you hurt?"

Joe sighed and explained, "Because I'm no longer an average human, dear boy. Now, I know you're scared, but did you see which way they took her?"

Kokoda replied, "They took Helen south, toward the temple of Master Genkai, a friend of my brother's."

Joe nodded, "I'll go and rescue her then. You just go back home and stay safe. Rescuing someone from the grips of the Blessed isn't anything a _normal_ human teenager, like yourself, should be involved in. Hurry!"

Kokoda gulped, but nodded, "Even if you aren't normal, are you sure you'll be okay by yourself? From the way you were talking about the Blessed, it sounds like even the genetically enhanced have difficulties with them."

Joe laughed, knowing exactly what he was referring to, and said, "Genetically enhanced...no, that's not how I'm not normal, but never mind. You just focus on getting home. I'll be fine, okay?"

Kokoda nodded his head and started walking home, but he didn't get very far. Just a few blocks from where Joe stood, a man emerged from the wall, having blended in with it due to his abilities. It was 007, also known as Great Britain. He told Joe, "Hey, 009, did I hear you and that boy correctly? His sister was taken by the Blessed?"

Joe nodded, "Yes, it seems so. I don't know what they have in store for her, but since it's the Blessed, the only thing we can be sure of is that it isn't anything good." He then heard Kokoda yell and take a few steps back from a nearby alleyway. He gasped and then activated his Accelerator, dashing over to him without a second thought.

Having also heard his brother yell due to his enhanced demon senses, Kurama came running as well, keeping up with 009 with no difficulty. He smiled, "Well, seems like my brother had some company after all. Who are you?"

Joe nodded and replied, "I'm 009, but my friends call me Joe. It would be nice to count you among them, but it seems like there's more to you than meets the eye."

Kurama chuckled and nodded, "That would be correct. I'm part demon, fox demon, to be more precise. But don't worry, I mean no harm. To prove my point, let me show you something." He dashed over to Kokoda and the stranger, and positioned himself between them. He asked, "Who are you and what do you want with my brother?"

The stranger responded, "Oh, wouldn't you like to know, fox boy? A shame really that you gave up all the strength Yoko Kurama gave you, for such pathetic beings. Tell me, are their women worth it? Because I heard recently that one of the ladies of Spirit World turned into one of them just to be with you. Is this true?"

Kurama growled and replied, "Even if she did, what business is it of yours?"

The stranger told him, "Because a Grim Reaper turned human, mating with a former fox demon, could produce a child strong enough to enhance."

Joe, knowing exactly what this man was talking about, said, "Enhance...you mean make into a weapon, like with me and my friends?! Because if that's what you mean, then that's really no enhancement at all! It's just cruel experimentation and playing with their emotions! You're no better than Black Ghost if that's what you think!"

The stranger sighed and shook his head, "Anyone can make a weapon, whether they have a good heart or not. A person's true character is revealed in how they _use_ that kind of power, whether or not they were the one behind its creation." He smirked and added, "And since fate saw fit to give me _two_ perfect tools." He walked over and grabbed Kokoda's arm, intending to drag him off to be part of whatever he was planning, "I will make use of them. One more piece to the puzzle and I'll be able to create perfection."

Kurama asked him, "Perfection...what on Earth do you mean by that? No one can create a perfect being. And you _won't_ involve my brother in this!" He ran over and lashed at the stranger with his Rose Whip, though also careful not to hit Kokoda or the pink bundle in the stranger's right arm. The stranger dodged and laughed, "You'll see what I mean in a matter of months, Yoko. Don't you worry. Oh...but there's a couple of more things I need from your two friends over there. It shouldn't take me long at all." He pulled something out from the black robe he was wearing, a needle, and ran over to Joe, who quickly activated his Accelerator and got out of the way, "So, ever the stubborn one, huh? Well, maybe this will change your mind." He grabbed Joe's Super gun from its holster at his side and aimed it at the baby's head, "If you don't cooperate with me, I can't guarantee another day for this baby girl. Now, on your knees."

Not wanting an innocent child harmed, Joe nodded and kneeled, submitting because of his protective nature around humans. The next moment, the stranger laughed and kicked Joe in the stomach, hard. He then said, "That was far too easy. Despite your enhanced abilities, seeing a human child in danger makes your skin crawl. Why is this, I wonder?" He shrugged and bent down over Joe, using the needle in his hand to extract some cells from the roof of his mouth.

Kurama growled, dashed over and kicked the stranger away from Joe. Joe nodded in gratitude to the redhead, who then spoke up and said, "The answer is simple, friend. Since we are not human, we are able to see them for all they are and all they _can_ be, if they are given time to develop."

The stranger responded, "I don't have that kind of time. Just one more thing I need…" He ran to 007 and demanded, "Give me a tissue sample, or the girl gets it."

007 crossed his arms and glared, "If you weren't putting that girl's life in danger, I'd say no. But since humanity means a lot to me, fine. Take what you want." He sat down cross-legged and flinched as the stranger took some skin samples from his hands, "But I don't see how much more advanced you hope to get than the Blessed."

Joe nodded and added, "The Blessed are an example of this. Though they're human in origin, they're much more enhanced. How and why they come about, we don't know, but...we do know this. _Some_ within their ranks are trying to wipe out the rest of humanity, seeing them as little more than trash. But there are also those among them that like to act as Guardians, protecting humanity from itself and any other threat to its existence. So, which are you? The Guardians...or the Annihilators? Because if you're the latter, then I'm sorry, but your story ends here. Accelerate!" He ran behind the stranger, but something he didn't expect happened. The stranger set down the pink bundle and kicked his arm, stopping him from punching him. Joe yelped in surprise and jumped back, finding his arm bent out of shape. Startled by this show of force, he turned to the stranger, "Are you….?"

The stranger replied, "I'm among the latter of the Blessed, and I refuse to be brought down by an outdated joke like you!" He then created an icy wind around himself and forced it outward, freezing everything around him.

Aboard the Dolphin 3, Francoise gasped as 009's and 007's brainwave communication channels went blank, going to static because of the drastic drop in temperature. She asked, "009? 007? Is everything okay? Hello?"

001, aka Ivan Whisky, woke up and told her, "They're okay, 003. They got disconnected because of a sudden drastic temperature change there. We should hear from them again momentarily."

While everything was frozen, the stranger broke Kokoda free of the ice and laughed as he carried the terrified teenager away with his sister, going to Demon World for some even darker recreation, it seemed.

Knowing where he was going, and not caring if he lost limbs in the process, Kurama jerked himself free of the ice and went after the stranger, his protective older brother nature toward Kokoda now in full swing. Annoyed by the redhead's presence, the stranger groaned and looked back, "I had a feeling an ice storm wouldn't be enough to stop you. You demons are too stubborn for your own good at times. Take this!" He set down the baby girl again, then took out a gun and shot Kurama in the side, which caused him to cry out in pain and fall over, breathing hard. The next moment, however, his hair began to change from red to silver, and his eyes gained a light yellow tinge to them, his yoko side taking over to help him survive. He rose to his feet and ran over to the stranger, ignoring the blood running down his clothing. He then punched at the man's jaw, but it didn't seem to do anything. In fact, the man grabbed his hand and twisted Yoko's whole right arm behind his back, fracturing it. While Yoko would survive it, if he were to change back into human form now, he would quickly lose consciousness. Kurama asked, "What do you want with my brother and sister anyway?"

The stranger replied, "Since you're not going to live much longer anyway, little fox, telling you matters little. Your brother is going to be father to a new race of beings, and your sister is going to be enhanced, to have similar powers to Ivan Whisky. Doesn't that sound wonderful? I'm going to make them better!"

Yoko growled, "As 009 said, that's not enhancement. That's cruel experimentation, and I _won't_ have my family subjected to it! I'll die first!"

The stranger gave a cheeky and slightly scary grin, and responded, "Oh, that's easily arranged, old boy." He formed some ice on his hand and into a saber and then gutted Kurama. He tossed him aside and left for Demon world, leaving him unconscious. Despite the huge wound on his torso, however, Yoko awoke again after a few moments, and managed to force himself to walk to Genkai's temple, knowing it was the only place he could go safely, and without alarming civilians.

As he made his way there, Yusuke, who was coming back from a visit to Keiko, gasped as he spotted him and darted over, helping him stay up. He asked, "What the hell happened, Kurama?"

Kurama explained, his voice shaky because of guilt, "My brother and sister are being taken to Demon world for some kind of experiment. I...I tried to stop them, but…" Joe and Great Britain happened to see the badly hurt fox demon as well and quickly joined up with the two boys. 009, seeing the wound on Kurama and having overheard just a little of what he said to Yusuke, asked, "But what? They got away with them?"

Kurama nodded, "Yes. I am not entirely sure what he meant, but he said that they were being used in an experiment."

Joe thought a moment, then said, "You said Demon world for an experiment right?" He thought to 001 and 003, through their brain wave communication, 'I think someone found out about the High Teen number Cyborgs and wanted to keep going with the idea. Though I'm not sure who would be smart enough, or twisted enough to do that aside from Black Ghost and Dr. Adams. Whoever it was though, they seem to be planning to blend demon blood, Cyborg technology and human DNA...creating a tri-racial being.'

003 responded, asking, 'How can you be so sure, 009?'

Joe answered, 'Because he took a sample from my mouth, close to where the accelerator is, and also took some samples from 007.'

Dr. Gilmore spoke aloud, inside the Dolphin, "How could you let him do that, Joe?!"

Joe responded, thinking back, 'He was threatening a human child! What was I supposed to do? Just _let_ her die?'

001 replied, trying to diffuse the aggression he was sensing, 'You did the right thing, Joe. Though it doesn't seem to have done much good. The thoughts of the fox demon you helped out are starting to fade. Is he all right?'

Joe looked at Yusuke and Kurama again, noticing that he was close to losing consciousness and told Ivan, 'No, he's in pretty sorry shape.' He then asked, "Can you take him to a hospital...uhh….?"

Yusuke nodded, "I'll make sure he gets some help, and the name's Yusuke Urameshi. You are?"

Joe responded, "I'm Joe Shimamura. Nice to meet you. Do you happen to know how to get to Demon world?"

Yusuke told him, "I do, but...for now I think it's best that everyone stay here until we can figure out what sort of experimentation we're talking about and where exactly _in_ Demon world that guy took Kurama's brother and sister." He looked at Kurama, who looked at him sadly, and replied, "Kurama...I know, you want to go help now, but you're not in good shape." He then looked at 007 and 009 and told them, "Maybe it's best if we team up for this. I've got a bad feeling that there's more to what that Blessed guy was doing than just creating new life."

009 nodded, "I agree. I just hope we aren't too late to stop them."

Yusuke smiled and nodded, "No worries. We can do this."


	2. Chapter 2: In the Middle of the Night

A/N: Sorry it took me so long to add this next bit. I have just over 300 subs now, so it's becoming more difficult to find time to write, between the channel, my stories and working. I'm managing, but it's not an easy task.

Different Hearts, Same Song

Chapter 2: Recoveries, a New Beginning and Blending

After taking Kurama to the hospital, Yusuke, 009, 007 and everyone aboard the Dolphin 3 all went to Genkai's temple, to formulate a plan of action against the guy who had taken the redhead's brother and sister, alongside 001 and the rest of the 00 Cyborgs. Ivan spoke to Yusuke's mind directly, as he sensed that he was the calmest at the moment, and said, "Listen, Yusuke, I don't know if you know anything about the Blessed, but they aren't demon in origin. They are human, just very advanced. So you have to be careful." Yusuke replied, though he spoke aloud since he wasn't a telepath, "I get that, but...what do they want with Kurama's brother and sister?"

009, a.k.a, Joe Shimamura, replied, "They want to use them to create a new race. Or, at least, that's what they want with his brother. They said his sister was very special, so I'm guessing that she's a possible Blessed as well. That worries me, especially given her background."

001 asked, "Why does it worry you, Joe?"

009 replied, "Because she came from a very impoverished family, according to Kurama. His family adopted her to save her from that life, so she may not harbor any aggression...but on the other hand, if she has any suppressed anger or fear, as a Gifted girl, it could lead to the Blessed trying to speed up her aging and bring out whatever her power is early on by taking advantage of those feelings. They could even use them to manipulate her into helping them. We've seen that before."

Ivan sighed and added, "Maybe...but on the other hand, they could be content to let her power develop however it will and bide their time. We've seen that as well, through the Professor. But whatever happens, we have to rescue them. The last thing we need is another incident. Particularly if it leads to a loss of innocence or an unintended death." He spoke with a shaky voice, as if he had picked up on something.

009 asked him, "Ivan, what's wrong? Are you sensing someone?"

Ivan explained, "I tried to detect the mind of Kurama's brother. I found him pretty quickly, but he is very scared, and worried about his older brother. I fear that if we don't get him back soon, it will only get worse from there. Particularly if the Blessed follow through with their plan for him…" He trembled and clenched a fist, as the anger and fear in Kokoda rose.

Yusuke asked, "What are they planning?"

Ivan told them, "They're planning to force him to mate with Mukuro, a female demon they just captured…"

Yusuke's eyes widened, "Mukuro? How did they get ahold of /her/? Isn't she Hiei's mate?"

Ivan nodded, pulling out of Kokoda's mind before it got too intense for him. He then prodded Mukuro's mind and confirmed, "Yes, she is. Unfortunately, the Blessed even overpowered /Hiei/, and took her captive to be the mother of their new race. They plan on having Kokoda impregnate her, and then they will also inject her with some of the samples they got from 009 and 007, to create the new race, which they will label DeHuborg. Talk about a wacky name. They could at least make something a little more normal-sounding like Humonborg...oh well. Anyway, we should try to get to Demon World to stop them. What are your thoughts on this, Yusuke?"

Yusuke told him, "We should definitely try to rescue them, but if we're gonna do that, we'll need everyone. What can you guys do?"

Dr. Gilmore briefly explained the abilities of the 00 Cyborgs, then turned to Yusuke and asked, "What can you all do?"

Yusuke smirked, "Well, gramps...glad you asked." He beckoned the 00 Cyborgs to follow him outside and went into the woods. He then fired off his Blended-Energy Spirit Gun, showcasing what he could do because of his odd origins.

Ivan nodded, "I see...so you're not purely human. Is anyone in your group _just_ human?"

Yusuke nodded, "Kuwabara is pure-blood human, and a guy you can really count on. Though he's not always the brightest, he's got a good heart and an honor code. Introductions aside, we need to get going if we're going to stop the Blessed from messing things up in Demon World. From what you guys have said about them, it sounds like they could make every demon in Demon World their bitch, if you'll pardon my French."

009 chuckled and nodded, a little taken aback by Yusuke's brashness. Though he himself had been that way once, fighting the Blessed, almost losing Francoise, and many other things, had matured him somewhat, as embarrassed as he would be to admit that. He said, "Still, we all need to be careful when fighting the Blessed. They're no pushovers, and probably nothing like the demons you're used to fighting, Yusuke. They take things to a whole new level, as should be shown to you by the fact that they overpowered one of your friends and captured his mate. Now, how are we doing this?"

001 thought a moment, then replied, "I think it's best if we handle this carefully. If we do this wrong, it could get Mukuro, Kokoda and the baby girl killed, and we definitely don't need that. I was thinking we could send a team of four to rescue Kokoda and the girl, then a smaller team to get back Mukuro, and only send them in one team at a time so that the Blessed won't figure out what we're doing. They may still figure it out in the end, but hopefully by that point, we will have Kokoda, Mukuro and the girl securely in our custody."

Yusuke thought a moment, then asked, "What if they get Mukuro pregnant before we get them back?"

003 replied, "Then we'll have her stay here at the temple. The last thing Mukuro will need, if she is with child before we get her back, is to have to deal with frightened humans or anyone who doesn't understand that she was impregnated against her will. And I'm sure you'll tell Hiei that the pregnancy was not her idea, correct?"

Yusuke nodded, "Yeah, I'll make sure he understands. Only one thing I'm worried about with him, really."

004 asked, "And what's that?"

Yusuke replied, "That he'll run off and try to get revenge for Mukuro on his own."

009 nodded, "It's an understandable concern. He _is_ her mate."

003 added, "With Mukuro being mated to him, shouldn't she be able to talk him down so he _won't_ run off and do something that dangerously stupid?"

009 chuckled and nodded, "Yeah, I would think so. Good point, Francoise." This particular conversation was reminding him of earlier times for him and Francoise.

Before they could talk anymore, Genkai walked in and nodded, "Good evening, everyone. Welcome to my temple."

Yusuke blinked and nodded, "Evening, grandma. Nice of you to join us. So...why are you here all of a sudden?"

Genkai told him, "Yukina wanted me to tell you and Kurama the news that she and Kuwabara are expecting a child. Where is he?"

Yusuke sighed and explained, "He's in the hospital. A very gifted man nearly sliced him in half, capturing his brother and sister. I think he's going to be okay though. So when's she due?"

Genkai told him, "She's about three weeks in, and it's twins. One's a boy and the other a girl. The boy is half-human and the girl is full Koorime. Because the boy is part human, I'm having to keep a close eye on Yukina's pregnancy, to ensure that he survives. I spoke with Koenma briefly and he said that if a child with any trace of human blood shares the womb with a demon, that child is at greater risk of dying in the womb before even taking its first breath. So...you can imagine that things are tough for Yukina right now."

Yusuke nodded, "I would imagine. Does Hiei know?"

Genkai replied, "Yes. Yukina told him herself the day she found out."

Yusuke responded, "That's good. I'm half-surprised he's let Kuwabara live after finding out he's going to be an uncle twice over because of him. But anyway...I guess we should all rest before leaving for Demon World after figuring out the teams?"

Ivan nodded, "Yes. It would be a good idea to not only figure out our strategy before tomorrow, but also to scope out the situation. That way we're not going in blind. Hiei, 009, that's where you two will come in. You two go to Demon World and locate Kurama's siblings and Mukuro, as well as where the Blessed have built their base over there. After you get this information, come straight back here. Do your absolute best not to get caught or make anyone aware that you're informants for us."

Yusuke raised his hand and said, "Just a minute...there's at least a few demons that should know what you're doing so that they don't think you're trying to hurt anyone. And Koenma should know too, so he's not wondering why there's all this back and forth shit."

Joe nodded, "We can tell them when we arrive. Who are these demons? And I'm sure you can tell Koenma. He is a friend of yours, is he not?"

Yusuke sighed and told him, "Yeah, I guess I could tell Botan and she could pass the word along. And the demons that should know are Enki, who is Demon World's new King, and Yomi, as his home is a large fort-OH SHIIIITTT!"

Genkai smacked Yusuke and said, "Watch your language, dumbass! Anyway, what's wrong?"

Hiei jumped down from the rafters, telling them, "The thought just occurred to Yusuke that the Blessed may have attacked Yomi as well and thrown him out of his fortress at Gandara to make _that_ their base, old hag. But Yusuke, let me remind you….even if they did do that, Yomi won't have given them an easy time, not to mention that it would place his son in danger. Oh...but if he told him to leave, the boy would do so without question, so yes, that is very much a concern. If it has happened, we'll probably run into Yomi while we're there anyway, and if we do, we can tell him to come back here for healing. And if he got separated from Shura, we'll tell him to come back here as well, and inform him that his father is safe. So don't worry about that. Now...you all mentioned that Mukuro has been captured?"

009 nodded, "Yes, Hiei, we did. But do NOT run off on your own and try to rescue her alone. I know you love her, and wish to protect her, but you can do so a lot easier with help. So please, join with us for this short while until the Blessed are defeated and Kurama's siblings are safely reunited with him as well, all right? He's your friend, correct?"

Hiei sighed and nodded, "Yes, he is. As much of a pain as he can be, I didn't like the way he looked when I stopped by his room at the hospital today. He….looked so guilty and broken. And he was CRYING. I've never seen him do anything like that, and I didn't like the way it felt. I managed to calm him down, but if we don't get those two back within the next few days, I am afraid he may attempt something. When his human mother came in the room, I asked her to keep an eye on him for me, so maybe he'll be okay, but it still worried me. And I won't run off to avenge Mukuro. I know better than that. Especially since it sounds like these 'Blessed' idiots are not to be trifled with. Do you need me and 009 to leave now, Ivan?"

Ivan nodded, "Yes. Your mission may take most of the night, so I'll need you to report to your sister, Yukina, when you get back in the morning."

Hiei growled, "You stay out of my head, kid. But all right. Joe and I will do as you asked, and Yusuke?"

Yusuke looked at him and asked, "Yeah?"

Hiei told him, "Make sure you tell Botan what's going on so she can pass that along to Koenma. I know she's human now, since she changed for Kurama, but she still maintains contact with Spirit World to keep them informed on how things are going with the barrier between worlds being down."

Yusuke nodded, "I will. Good luck, Hiei, Joe."

009 smiled and nodded, "To you too. I can't imagine it'll be easy telling this 'Botan' her husband is in the hospital."

Yusuke replied, "I called her and told her right after Kurama got admitted. She's understandably worried, but she knows he'll heal. She's planning to stop by and see him after she gets off work."

003 nodded, "Where does she work?"

Yusuke told her, "She's a hostess at one of the diners in town. Given her previous experience, it should be a cakewalk for her. Also...I don't know if this is /technically/ my news to be telling, but she and Kurama are getting married in six months. Don't tell him I told you guys, all right?"

Genkai smirked and nodded, "I'll keep my mouth shut, dimwit. And I'm sure Hiei has the decency to keep his trap shut too."

Hiei nodded, "I won't say a word. Plus, I have the Jagan, so I already knew. I just hope he knows what he's getting himself into."

Yusuke replied, "I'm sure he has a fairly good idea, Hiei. His mom remarried a few years ago, remember? Anyway...Keiko and I are getting married soon. But I'm sure you all knew that. Well, at least...Hiei and Genkai did."

Hiei rolled his eyes and said, "Yes, Yusuke, it's two weeks away and you are talking about it NONSTOP, driving everyone crazy. Shut up about it or you won't be ALIVE to walk down the aisle. Got it?"

Yusuke gulped and nodded, though the joy in his eyes never left.

009 smiled and nodded, "Then congratulations, Yusuke. And don't worry, we'll do our best to get this mission wrapped up quickly and neatly, so that it doesn't interfere with your plans. The last thing I would want to do is place the woman you love in danger." He then looked at Hiei and said, "Lay a finger on him and I won't hesitate to blast you, runt. Now, let's get going to Demon world and carry out our part, shall we?"

Hiei rolled his eyes, but nodded, "Fine. Let's go, speedster." He then got a mischievous look in his ruby eyes and challenged him, "Heh...but are you really as fast as they say?"

009 smirked, "If that's a challenge, I accept, and you'll see for yourself. Come on!"

The two of them ran off, going to Demon World at their peak speeds, to collect the information they had been told to retrieve without getting caught.


	3. Chapter 3 Bad Medicine

A/N: So there is a small time gap between the end of Chapter 2 and the beginning of this chapter. It's there mostly so that the story doesn't drag and we can get right into the meat of things quicker. But basically, in the time skip, Hiei and Joe make it to Demon world and find a very injured Yomi about halfway to the fortress at Gandara. They escort him to the woods at Genkai's temple, with 009 being his crutch, then leave him leaning on a tree at the bottom of the staircase. As Yukina is a demon and a healer, she senses them and goes outside, but by the time she gets there, Hiei and 009 are long gone, and she helps Yomi inside, where she and Genkai heal him. When he's restored, Yomi sits up and tries to leave, but doesn't have the strength to move. Then Yukina tells Yomi that he shouldn't go anywhere in his current condition, he should just stay put and rest. Yomi explains that he is worried about Shura, who he told to run when the Blessed started their hostile takeover of his home. Yukina then tells Yomi that she will tell Yusuke when he wakes up, as Hiei and Joe will probably be reporting back in a few hours to inform her and the 00 Cyborgs of where things stand in demon world, what the status is of the Blessed, and whether or not they've done anything with Mukuro and Kokoda. After hearing that, Yomi's fears are quelled and he dozes off. We pick up the story with Joe and Hiei in Demon World.

Different Hearts, Same Song

Chapter 3: Healing, Genetics and Humonborgs

Joe sighed as he and Hiei ran through the forests near Gandara, close to where they had originally met up with Yomi. It was true that it had been several hours since they took him to Genkai, but even a demon child could only go so far in that amount of time. Hiei asked Joe, "Are you sure we'll meet up with Shura here, Joe? Yomi seemed to think that Shura could've gotten pretty far out by this point."

Joe nodded, "Yeah, I'm pretty sure. Sometimes children can get so scared by something that they literally can't move except to hide behind something."

Hiei smirked and asked, not only amused by the prospect of a terrified Joe, but also fascinated that his life before becoming a Cyborg was similar to his own, "Speaking from personal experience, huh?"

Joe sighed, but nodded his head, used to Hiei's darker sense of humor, "Yes, not that it's your business. Anyway...I'm hearing something similar to a heartbeat...about 200 yards to our left. Do you think it could be Shura?"

Hiei shrugged, "It's a possibility. Demon heartbeats are not at all like a human's though, so it would be very quiet, at least to a normal person. Since you are a Cyborg and have that enhanced hearing, that may be the only reason you're hearing it. I take it you hear mine as well?"

Joe nodded, "Yes, but compared to this other heartbeat, yours is beating at a more relaxed rhythm. You're used to this kind of situation, aren't you?"

Hiei responded honestly, nodding, "The situation is nothing new. Let's just get the information we came to get and leave. I would've liked to try and rescue Mukuro as well, but you and the others brought up good points that I would be stupid to ignore, so...I won't separate from you, as I had originally thought of doing."

After a few minutes, the two reached the outer walls of Gandara, Yomi's former fortress of a home. They ran around the outer walls at their peak speeds to keep from being detected by the security cameras, quietly gathering info on what was currently going on at the Blessed stronghold.

At one point, they both heard moaning and then screaming and crying, both male and female. So, they were moving forward with their plan to create a new race. They wasted no time. Hiei recognized Mukuro's voice among the cacophony of noises and went rigid, fighting every instinct in him to go in and retrieve her from the "sick sons of bitches", as he so eloquently put it. Only moments later, young Shura emerged from the fortress, visibly shaken and crying.

Guessing that he had been closer to the center of what was happening to Mukuro and Kokoda, Hiei took a chance and jumped down to the boy, picked him up and took him up to the wall with him, whispering, "What's going on in there, Shura? Did you see...?"

Shura nodded and responded, "I was trying to escape and caught a glimpse of what was happening to Mukuro and Kokoda, yes. They're...being forced to make a baby, and...Mukuro just got injected with something."

Hiei looked to Joe, who had darted over, and whispered, "More than likely the samples they got from you and your friend. Unfortunately, Shura, it's only Joe and I. There's not enough of us to put a stop to this. The Blessed would outnumber and overpower us in a fraction of a second. But, we can take you back to your father and meet up with Yusuke and the others, make them aware of what just happened. When they hear that Kokoda was being forced to procreate with a demon girl, and my mate no less, you'd better believe that they'll take action." He bristled and started visibly shaking, his emotions reeling now that the impact of what was happening to Mukuro was starting to hit him.

Joe put a hand on Hiei's shoulder and told him, "She'll be all right, Hiei."

Hiei whispered, "Yes, but she was already pregnant when they took her. If they create a more powerful second child inside her, giving birth to both children could kill her."

Shura then told him, "Or she could survive it, Hiei. She was in contention for control of all of Demon World for a very long time. Giving birth won't kill her, no matter how powerful the unborn child is."

Hiei smirked and nodded, Shura's words giving him some hope, "Yes, you raise a good point, Shura. Thank you. I just hope that..."

Shura smirked and responded, "You hope that she won't be afraid to mess around with you. Hiei, there are other ways of relieving that kind of tension other than sex."

Hiei sighed and nodded, "I know this. It's just...sex is a lot more satisfying."

Shura replied, 'That may be...but she's going through a traumatic experience. You need to give her time to heal. Just have her get you off some other way. Hand job, blow job, motorboating...the list goes on and on of alternative ways. Please, just let her have the time she needs."

Hiei nodded, "You raise a good point, Shura. All right, I'll give her some time." A few minutes later, the three of them left Demon world, going to Genkai's so that Shura could reunite with his father.

When they reached Genkai's, Shura gasped and ran over to his father, hugging him and breaking down crying, "Thank goodness you're alive! Thank you, Yukina."

Yukina giggled and nodded, "It was no trouble, Shura. We know Yomi is Kurama's friend, so healing him was a nonissue." She then frowned, remembering that Kurama was still hospitalized.

Shura then asked, "Where is Kurama anyway? I thought he would be here."

Yusuke told him with a sigh, "He's in the hospital, Shura. He was badly injured, trying to keep Kokoda and his adopted little sister away from the Blessed. But don't worry, I'm sure he'll be all right."

Shura nodded and responded, "Seems like we're all coming apart at the seams. Anyway...what's our plan of attack for freeing Mukuro and Kokoda?"

Yusuke explained the plan, which was for there to be two teams. One to sneak in and free Mukuro, and then one to sneak in and free Kokoda.

Hiei then added, "Well, you'd better move quickly. They've already started with their project of creating a third race. When we got there, Joe and I heard sex noises and screaming. So we may already be too late to keep Mukuro from getting pregnant a second time. But..we can still take the Blessed down, so I'm not worried about it."

Yusuke gulped, but nodded, sensing Hiei's anger, sadness and guilt. He told him, "Maybe not worried, but you certainly feel bad that you let it happen. I'm sorry that we wouldn't let you stop it, Hiei. But you and Joe would've been outnumbered and probably killed. I'm not going to have one of my best friends dying by their bloodstained hands."

Joe asked, "How did you know that they killed someone?"

Francoise sighed and explained, "I told them of our previous encounter, Joe. They need to know what we're up against. This won't be easy for any of us, but...with the help of Yoko, Hiei, Yusuke and Kuwabara, perhaps we can wipe them out once and for all."

Yukina smiled and nodded, then gasped and placed a hand on her stomach, the babies inside her moving as if in response to the excitement in the room, "Well, good luck to all of you."

Yusuke smiled and nodded, "And to you. Won't be easy raising a half-demon child here."

Genkai told him, "Maybe not, but I think Yukina will find a way to manage. That and I'm going to help the child learn to control his ice powers. I'll see you all later."

With these words, Yusuke, Hiei, and Kuwabara nodded and went to their rooms, all staying the night there for a little while before the battle to spar and prepare, so that their powers would be fully primed and ready for the no-doubt difficult upcoming fight. They were also waiting for Kurama to heal, as Yoko's powers over plants would no doubt come in handy, since they would be fighting in a forest.

A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger, but I wanted the battle and the aftermath of it, to be its own chapter. So...hope you enjoyed this and while I had originally intended for Yukina to give birth in this chapter, it didn't happen. A little joy before a big battle like that wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, but I knew Hiei would be reluctant to leave his niece and nephew, so...I figured wait until during or after the battle, so that he can be fully focused on what he's doing.


End file.
